Roatán is one of the HondurasBay Islands in the Caribbean Sea. For many years it was a hidden gem, with some of the most beautiful white beaches and the best snorkel and diving spots in the Caribbean, but it was 'discovered' around 2005 by cruise ships and hotel developers. Located near the largest barrier reef in the Caribbean Sea (second largest worldwide after Australia's Great Barrier Reef), it has become an important cruise ship and scuba diving destination in Honduras. Tourists used to be mainly divers but the islands beaches have attracted additional package tourists and cruise ships. In recent years, several new cruise ship ports have been opened, causing a significant influx of traditional cruise ship tourists to the island. You'll know when the cruise ships are in port because suddenly there are several thousand additional tourists on the beaches and in towns. It is best to avoid buying anything when cruise ships are docked, the prices of food, goods, and services generally double to quadruple to accommodate the higher expendable incomes of cruise ship passengers. While snorkeling and diving are still as popular as ever, there is still plenty to do outside of these activities.

Contents

Get in

By plane

Several US airlines offer non-stop flights to Roatan on weekends. Continental Airlines offers direct flights from Houston (Daily during high season, less often other times), and from Newark (weekend). Delta flies non-stop from Atlanta (Saturdays only).

American, Delta and Continental offer flights to San Pedro Sula on the mainland, from which you can get connecting service to Roatan.

TACA, a group of five regional airlines, offers service from Miami, Orlando, Chicago, Dallas, Toronto, Houston, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington DC with connecting service to Roatan, including mid-week flights. TACA also offers non-stop flights from Miami (Sundays only).

There are also local airlines such as SOSA, CM Airlines, and Isleña (Part of TACA's regional service) connecting the island with La Ceiba, San Pedro Sula, and Tegucigalpa. Prices are all over the map due to fuel costs and inflation, but usually average in at about $200 for a flight from TegucigalpaToncontin to Roatan

By boat

The Galaxy Wave is a new ferry that travels to/from La Ceiba on the Honduras Mainland. The ferry is clean, comfortable, and very reliable. It departs from La Ceiba twice daily, once in the morning at 9:30AM and once in the afternoon at 4:30PM. Departure times from Roatan are 7AM and 2PM (see schedule [16] for details. It costs about $25 US (500 lempira)for a one way trip. Prices have risen significantly recently.

There is currently (2008-2010) a Catamaran that operates a direct daily ferry service between West End, Roatan and Utila leaving Utila at 6:30AM, arriving West End around 11. Then leaving Roatan at 1PM, arriving Utila around 5PM. Contact Captain Vern at [email protected], (504)3346-2600 or (504)9910-8040. Your other options are traveling on The Galaxy Wave between Roatan and La Ceiba and then The Utila Princess between La Ceiba and Utila. Your other option is to charter a boat from one of the locals. Normally the best way to go about this is to approach one of the dive schools as they normally aren't using their boats in the afternoons. Find other travelers who want to do the same and go in a group of 4 or 6.

The island is visited by some cruise lines, such as Princess, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Lines.

Get around

There are hundreds of taxis and they can be bargained with. They don't expect tips either. But ask the price in advance and if it seems high, ask another. Prices from the airport are fixed during the day and negotiable at night. A cab from the airport to West Bay is $10.

There are water taxis during daylight that link West Bay and West End for $3 per person one way.

Renting scooters is a very economical (and fun!) way to see the island. The asphalt road is reasonably well maintained and there is lots to see on Roatan besides the West End so hire a scooter and start exploring. The rental agencies will happily provide you with detailed maps and explanations on how to best see the island. Scooter rentals are abundant in West End.

Buses run every 15 minutes between Coxan Hole and West End during the day. They depart from opposite the market in Coxan Hole. Buses run every hour to Oak Ridge, stopping at the new ferry terminal and passing through French Harbour, Polly Tilly Bight, and Punta Gorda on the way. These buses leave from opposite the HB Warren supermarket in Coxen Hole.

The US Dollar is generally accepted all over the island, however, your change is mostly given in Honduran lempiras. This method of money exchange is not recommended generally but if you're only stopping for the day from a cruise ship, it's an easier option to changing money that you may not use up.

Cities

French Harbor, Roatan

West End is definitely the most fun town on the island. There are bars, restaurants, live music, right on the Caribbean. This is also where the best sunsets are, with maybe the exception of West Bay. The reef is a short swim away for excellent snorkeling, especially around the southern point of Half Moon Bay.

Coxen Hole is a pit but after you get used to it, there are most of life's necessities there.

French Harbor has some good restaurants and resorts.

The West Bay has plenty of restaurants and places to stay, and several large resorts have been built on the beach. If you don't mind the resorts and larger hotels, it's a beautiful stretch of beach. It is recommended to spend beach time in the West Bay and bar time in the West End.

Most tourists do not venture further east than French Harbour, which is only about the mid point of the island. Past this point are a few newer beach resorts, resort communities, and even private towns with beaches and resorts catering exclusively to cruise ship passengers. Many of the restaurants and bars on this part of the island are frequented more by locals and expats than tourists. One point of interest would be Jonestown and the infamous Hole in the Wall restaurant. Sundays and Wednesdays feature all-you-can-eat lobster and steak for a reasonable fee. You must take a small water taxi from Jonestown to reach it.

Shortly after the fork in the road to Oak Ridge, the paved road ends and you can continue to Port Royal which was originally founded by English pirates. Past this there lies a few small villages and a handful of homes mostly occupied by expats. Eventually you will reach Camp Bay which is about the furthest you can go in a car. Past Camp Bay are the mangroves which are quite beautiful when navigated by boat. There are many tours through the mangroves which can be chartered from various points on the island.

Talk

English, Spanish, Garifuna

English is widely spoken, especially in the West End and West Bay communities and is the native language of Roatanians of British and African descent (except for the Garifuna). Spanish is spoken natively by all residents who have come from mainland Honduras and is the second language of many of the native English speakers. Spanish is the official language of Honduras and as such is the primary language of the school system. Garifuna is spoken by the Garifuna people who are descendants of the Kalipuna peoples of St. Vincent. There is also 'Island Talk' spoken by the native Caribbean people.

Most individuals living on Roatan are bilingual (English/Spanish).

See

Visit the lavish fruit gardens of Marble Hill Farms where you can taste all 15 flavours [17]

Visit the Roatan Butterfly Garden and Carambola Gardens

Dine at one of Roatan's Excellent Restaurants or Cook and Eat at Home

Check out local and mainland Honduras tours

Horseback Riding on the Beach at West End - Shirkey's Barrio Dorcas Ranch [18]

Horseback Riding - Ticketing Agent - Transportation Included

Shop for Central American Arts and Crafts, tee-shirts, cigars, and much more

Enjoy an off the beaten patch view, dinner and drinks from the Windsong cafe

Explore the caves of Helene

Visit The Roatan Rum Company and enjoy samples of their products.Rum cake, Rum based sauces and rum candies to name a few.

Do

West Bay, Roatan

There are three types of traveling experiences in Roatan. First would be the typical Caribbean resort-oriented beach vacation experience which can be found at any number of islands in the region. This type of vacationing is still developing on Roatan, however, in the past few years it has become a bit more common and the island offers many resorts and activities that would appeal to those who prefer this type of setting. Alternatively, Roatan can still be experienced through the back door and more rustic accommodations are abundant. If you are looking to sleep under a mosquito net with little to no view of any other human, you can certainly experience this on Roatan. The final type of traveling experience on Roatan is the cruise ship, these visitors are generally in town for short bursts of time and come in huge numbers, it's not unusual for you to wake up and have West Bay suddenly be covered with several thousand cruise ship passengers rubbing shoulders to find a small patch of available beach to soak up the sun in. Several cruise ships have ports in Roatan, but some dock only in the exclusive private towns and beaches owned by the resort, and you will hardly notice them except for the large ships on the horizon.

There is great snorkeling and diving to be found here and many dive shops to go out with. Coconut tree dive shop in West End has cheap dives, $30-35 per dive, and go out 3 times per day.

If you are a good swimmer, and keep an eye out for motorboats, you can swim straight out from west end towards the white buoys for about 200 meters, you will arrive at a 10-30 foot deep reef that is great for snorkeling and freediving. Slightly further out the reef gets much deeper and you hit the wall.

You can walk along the beach to West Bay from West End in about 45 minutes, and can take a water taxi back if you like. They seem to stop running around sunset unfortunately, so make sure to catch them before it is too late.

A new cruise ship stop named Mahogany Bay opened up recently outside of French Harbor. The beach is nice and the setting amazingly surreal, with 2 rusting shipwrecks within view. Cuises also port in Coxen Hole.

Renting a scooter and driving to Punta Gorda takes about an hour each way, and goes through some beautiful countryside. It can be nice to get away from the touristy areas and get back into places that look and feel like Honduras. The town is friendly and you may run into a beach party if you are lucky.

Another great place to visit in Roatan is Anthony's Key Resort. It is a quaint little village with huts to rent and many options for activities on the island. You can do just about anything from swimming with dolphins to scuba diving/snorkeling to getting married. The resort is well kept and maintained along with a very friendly and hospitable staff. The setting is serene and peaceful with a beautiful and spectacular views of the ocean.

Oak Ridge is a small village on the eastern end of the island. On arrival, you'll be offered water-taxi tours to the Hole-in-the-Wall restaurant, neighbouring communities, and around the harbour, but it's also pleasant to walk through the village, which has many brightly colored the wooden houses on stilts along the shore.

If you are up for an adventure, visit the east end of the island past Oak Ridge. The road changes from a somewhat dodgey pavement to an even more precariously rutted dirt/gravel mix and continues on to Punta Blanca and Camp Bay. A 4-wheeled vehicle is recommended for the journey although you'll see many locals driving compact cars over the partially washed out and bumpy road. This end of the island is home to many locals and some expats. Electricity has not reached the far end of the island but it is slowly moving towards Camp Bay. There are a few interesting stops such as the Windsong Cafe & Bar (best view on the island) as well as Marble Hill Farms (see listing below) where wonderful local jams & jellies are made. Asylum bar & grill is on a palapa literally over the calm waters in Camp Bay which can sometimes feel like the restaurant at the end of the universe after the long journey of getting there. Luckily there is always beer on ice and grilled food which makes the trip worth it. If you're looking to get off the beaten path and out of the tourist ridden West End, this is it!

The fishing is also wonderful just off the reef in Roatan. Marlin, Barricuda, Tuna, Wahoo, Mahi Mahi, and much more can be caught in these waters. The local fisherman that runs Cool Running Tours[20] can take you on a fishing charter as well as snorkeling, or an island tour by boat.

Stanley Submarines, ☎011-504-3359-2887, [1]. Karl Stanley has been designing, building, and piloting deep sea submersibles for over 20 years. He has logged over 1300 dives and can take you to depths of 2000 feet. He strives to provide cost-effective, direct access to the deep water for anyone who wishes to explore those depths. Deep sea expeditions can be booked via email: [email protected] or phone. Karl offers tours from 1,000 feet to 2,000 feet for 1.5-4 hours. His operation is the cheapest submersible tourist operation in the world. You can visit the website for more details on trips and prices. $400-1500.

Tyll's Dive (Tyll's Dive Shop), West End (When you enter into West End turn left and we are across the street from The Blue Marlin (formley known as Purple Turtle)), ☎0050496980416, [2]. 0900 - 1700. Offers scuba divers and a small family atmosphere. Caters to small groups of eight or fewer. Offers three dives a day starting at 9AM, 11AM. and 2PM six days a week, Sundays and night dives upon request. Prices include all dive rental equipment. Small dive classes are offered from Open Water all the way through Dive Master tailored to fit you individual needs, including 1 on 1 dive instruction, crowd free diving, multi-lingual staff, well maintained dive equipment and an on hand technician. All the Dive Instructors are PADI Certified as well as emergency first aid responders.as low as $25 per dive.

Bahia Watersports, West End (between ronnies and luna beach), ☎281-249-5712, [3]. 42' Hatteras Sportfish for charter. Deep sea fishing, diving, snorkeling, or take a trip to a nearby island like Utila or Cayos Cochinos. This boat has all the nicest penn reels and fighting chairs, and it also has comfort for the family with couches flat screen tv with dvd player, kitchen, bathroom. If calling from Honduras call 504 9994-5308. Also available for overnight charters.

Coconut Tree Divers (Coconut Tree), West End Roatan Honduras (Take taxi to West End, first shop on the left at the entrance to town.), ☎813-964-7214, [4]. 8-5. Located in the heart of West End, Coconut Tree Divers is the only PADI Career Development Center in Roatan. The shop offers four daily dives: the morning boat leaves at 9:00 AM for two dives and returns at around 12:30 PM. The afternoon dives go out at 1:00 and 2.30 respectively. Night dives are available every Tuesday and Thursday. The shop's second boat, Wish U Were Here, is dedicated for cruise ship visitors on various cruise ship schedules. There is the option of a one day experience program, PADI Discover Scuba Diving, for those who want to try scuba diving for the first time. The program involves some basic theory in the classroom, a short session in shallow confined water, followed by a 45 - 60 minute dive in the afternoon. The shop's friendly, experienced staff will guide you through the various dive sites in Roatan's reef system. Nitrox and Trimix are also available. Snorkelers are also welcome. UK Phone: 0151-324-0701 Honduran Phone: 504-2445-4081 Email: [email protected]~$30/dive.

Marble Hill Farms, East End, between Punta Gorda and Camp Bay (Head towards the East end of the island and follow the posted signs, the property is just past Punta Blanca on the left side of the road.), ☎970-688-4120, [5]. Various types of activities are available, including diving and kite boarding, strolling through the gardens, and tasting homemade jams and jellies. If you're hungry, delicious island style cuisine is available at The Crow's Nest restaurant. Dives as low as $25. Visit the website for more information [6].

Buy

Prices of everything skyrocket when cruise ships are in town, if you are looking to purchase anything, including food, it is best to wait until they have left port.

Local handicrafts abound and can be had for very little money. Look for brightly-painted pottery, wood carvings, costume jewelry and clothing. Remember that the asking price should only be considered a jumping-off point for some downward haggling. It's expected and if you have the stomach for it, you'll likely end up with a final price somewhere around 40-50% lower.

Eat

The restaurants you will find along the West End beach are slightly more expensive than similar restaurants on the mainland but the food is of a very high standard. Seafood abounds and you can find top quality lobster for dinner for around $10 US. The Argentinian steak house is very nice, and the size of the steak they serve has to be seen to be believed.

There is a small food caravan located on the main road hosted by an ex-pat Aussie. The food is cheap, and he is open late which is perfect for when you return home from one of the West Ends night spots.

Gio's is in French Harbor and is one of the nicer dining experiences on the island. It's a longtime mainstay for expats and islanders who can afford to dine out. Seafood is the specialty of course.

Ooloonthoo Restaurant, Mangrove Bight (Main road outside West End), ☎9936-5223, [7]. 6-9PM. The only Indian restaurant in Honduras is also the best restaurant in Honduras. Ooloonthoo offers world class progressive Indian cuisine. Visit their webpage to see menus and restaurant reviews including the New York Times and Colorado's Vail Daily News. Air conditioned dining and year round sunset views will make your evening at Ooloonthoo a true dining experience. Reservations required. $40.

Rendezvous Sushi Grill (Roatan Sushi), Main Road, West Bay, Roatan, ☎9936-2594, [8]. 6:30-11:00. Sushi on Roatan! World renowned and highly acclaimed. Quiet and romantic. Get away from the 'boom, boom, boom' of the beach. Food is excellent! Hosts are terrific! Reservations recommended.(16.273537182604112,-86.59729827081681)

Asylum, Camp Bay Beach (Far northeastern end of the island past the main paved road), ☎504-3320-6004 ([email protected]), [9]. 9AM - 9PM or whenever the drinking stops!. ASYLUM, Roatan's Newest Beach Bar. Located at Camp Bay on the North Eastern Side of the Island, Asylum offers a pristine Roatan environment that is perfect for day trips or a week of camping on the beach. Asylum sits on the end of a 40 foot dock that stretched into the Lapis Blue waters of the Caribbean Sea, and has the most favorable trade winds on the Island, which keeps a nice cool breeze flowing on those hot days (and keeps the mosquitoes away!) Asylum offers cayuca boat tours of the Mangrove Forest! The forest acts as a natural canal between both sides of the Island, and makes for an amazing adventure that will lead you to some of the best snorkeling areas of the island. Asylum also offers fishing trips on the Cayuca boat, and reef snorkeling a few hundred meters from the dock! You can bring your own snorkeling gear, or rent a package for $5 a day. You can also camp on the beaches of Asylum for free with your own equipment, or rent a camping package for $5 a night. Local residents of Roatan can utilize the camping packages for free. Asylum's Mermaid Grill, (or "La Sirena" - The Siren), will cook up any fish you catch and prepare an amazing meal for you as well! very inexpensive.

The Beach Club San Simon, West Bay, Roatan (Between La Sirenas + Mayan Princess), ☎+504 445 5140, [10]. 10AM-10PM. Just opened 1 month ago, and probably West Bay's best place to eat and drink. Has a lounge style feel with changing rooms, showers, and beach beds that beat all others. Beautiful place to have dinner, or just lounge around. Prices are also the best on the beach. Free WiFi also offered.Moderate.

The Crow's Nest, East End, between Punta Gorda and Camp Bay (Head towards the East end of the island and follow the posted signs, the property is just past Punta Blanca on the left side of the road.), ☎970-688-4120, [11]. Grab a signature Marble Hill Mango Margarita and watch the sunset from our deck at The Crow's Nest. We offer a wide array of local and American food and drink options to both our guests and walk in customers. Come check out our amazing pizzas and relax at The Crow's Nest.

Drink

The best part about drinking in the west end is the pub crawl that occurs almost every night without exception. Its virtually mandatory to start at Sundowners and enjoy drinks whilst watching the sun go down over the beautiful bay in front. When Sundowners shuts (at 10PM) the whole bar shifts about 50 meters down the street to kick on at the Purple Turtle where you can enjoy live music out the back. The Purple Turtle closes at midnight and from here most people continue on to the Nova Bar or the Twisted Toucan's "being Sold soon" will be the joint to party at, where you will meet most of the locals in the region, as this is their favorite haunt. Most people go home from here but if you really are feeling like an adventure grab a group of friends and head down the beach to FuBar, formerly Black Pearl and before that Loafers. On Friday's, the best place to go is Foster's, complete with DJ and occasionally a lot of laughs.

If you venture to the less populated east end of the island, stop in at the Windsong in Punta Blanca for a wonderful meal and a spectacular view. Have a Sunday barbecue with cold beer at Asylum [21] on Camp Bay Beach which is also called La Sirena [22]. It's an interesting palapa bar/restaurant built out over the blue water which is a few miles further east of Windsong. Jimmy, the proprietor, can arrange other activities for guests as well. As with most remote destinations, it's better to call ahead of time to make arrangements.

Sleep

There are excellent accommodations ranging from $4 to $400 per night. Condos are available as are beach cabanas. There is an old farm where they have great accommodation for a decent price at West End.

West Bay B & B[26]. Clean, quiet, and affordable rooms located just one block from the west bay beach. Features air conditioning, TV, DVDs to borrow, beach gear to rent, and an internet cafe. The owner Glen is fantastic and very accommodating, he also cooks a delicious breakfast every morning for his guests.

Coconut Tree Hotel, [27]. Great accommodations for travelers on a budget. All cabins have air conditioning and a refrigerator. Cabins in Westend and Westbay. Dorms available to Coconut Tree Divers[28] customers at an excellent rate.

Mango Creek Lodge, Port Royal, ☎504-9723-1424, [14]. Mango Creek Lodge is Roatan's premiere eco lodge offering diving, fly-fishing and eco adventures. Located in Roatan's East End and accessible only by water, the lodge has access to some of Roatan's healthiest reef. The East End location makes a great base for exploring the caves of Helene, hiking the island of Morat and visiting the pristine Pigeon Cayes. Accommodation is in over-the-water cabanas each with a private dock, swim ladder and hammock.

Marble Hill Farms, [29]. Eco-lodging at its finest. Offering small casitas with kitchenettes, bunk lodging and package pricing including diving and lodging. New fishing and diving boats, numerous activities and amazing food at The Crow's Nest restaurant. Whether you visit for a day or stay for a week, enjoy an East End experience at Marble Hill Farms.

Villas del Playa, West End (down west end road past fosters between Ronnies Barfeet and Luna Beach), ☎281-249-5712, [15]. Luxury condos located right on the beach facing the sunset on the Caribbean Sea. 2 bedroom 2 baths, 3 bedroom 3 baths, and a 3 bedroom 3 bath Penthouse with its own 1900 sq ft rooftop that has full kitchen with BBQ pit and private pool. Each condo has full stainless steel granite counter-top kitchen, central A/C, U/V water filtration, comfortable living room with couch that folds into bed, flat screen TV's with cable in every room, washer/dryer, free wireless internet, and beach side swimming pool. We are wheel chair accessible and have an elevator. Email us at [email protected] or if calling from Honduras call 504-9994-5308.

Get out

Roatan boasts a wide array of experiences for night life depending on your taste. Since the arrival of cruise ships, prices have risen somewhat and restaurants and bars cater to cruise passengers as well as North American and European tourists. These types of establishments are relatively easy to find as they are mostly located in and around the West End. Prices here are generally higher than in most other places on the island.

Luckily there are still parts of the island that harken to past times when Roatan was more of a remote destination. Although development is spreading to all parts of the island, one can still find more rustic settings and establishments east of French Harbor. Keep in mind that traveling to the far eastern end of the island can take time due to road conditions. Those staying around the West End of the island should expect at least an hour of travel time to reach Camp Bay in a car.